DismantleRepair
by Aeshataro
Summary: [AU] Ranma is the king of underground fighting. Akane is a new girl who’s been dragged into the dangerous sport. What happens when they meet? Chaos, of course.
1. The Debt

**Disclaimer**- No I don't own Ranma ½.

**Author's Note- **To clear some things up, in this story,Akane hasn't met any of the Ranma cast, except for her father and Kasumi whom she lives with. She's never met Nabiki, but she's still her sister. You'll see as the story plays on. The title was inspired by a song. Kudos to whoever can guess which one and by whom. Enjoy.

**Summary-** AU Ranma is the king of underground fighting. Akane is a new girl who's been dragged into the dangerous sport. What happens when they meet? Chaos, of course.

* * *

**DismantleRepair**

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One

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Akane Tendo was never truly considered a normal girl by her peers. To them she was more of a boy, or a friend they could play rough and tumble games with, never one that you would associate with feminine traits such as giving chocolates on Valentines Day, cooking, sewing, or anything of the like. She was a tough girl, able to stand her own, independent, and able to fight- traits not usually associated with a girl. Most of the time, people associated her with boys, even going so far as to cast her as Romeo in the play Romeo and Juliet. But it wasn't just those traits that made her abnormal.

Akane Tendo had no mother. In fact, Akane didn't know much about her family. She lived with her father, Soun Tendo, and her sister, Kasumi, in an apartment on the border between uptown and downtown Furinkan. Her father ran a dojo nearby inside an old warehouse, which was partly why Akane grew up tough and able to fight. They never talked much about the late Mrs. Tendo, and they never mentioned anything about what happened afterwards. They did visit her grave often and paid their respects, but did so silently and solemnly.

But even without proper knowledge of her mother or family and despite her lack of femininity, Akane was perfectly fine the way she was. She was eighteen now. Her sapphire-black hair fell in a straight wave past her shoulder blades, and her body had become toned and slender from all the time she spent at her dad's dojo. It wasn't until a few years ago that boys had taken an interest in her, but despite their constant confessions and gift offerings, Akane was still able to hold her own against them, therefore convincing her father to let her roam about without supervision.

But one boy constantly troubled her.

His name was Tatewaki Kuno. He was from a rich family and was an expert in kendo, which was a style of swordfight. And he wasn't half bad looking either, and many girls would have loved to be his love interest. But Akane wasn't one of those girls.

She despised Kuno. To her, he was nothing more than an arrogant, overly vain boy, but she had to admit that he had his sweet moments. Like if a suitor got too frisky with her or if she was being confronted by too many men, he would step up and shoo them away. Kuno was a generally good guy, and had circumstances been different she would have liked to be his friend, but his infatuation and obsession with her was annoying, preventing any friendship.

He was a fervent suitor, constantly near her, showering her with poems, confessions, gifts, and proposals. But every time Akane would turn him down.

'_When will he see that I'm not the one for him_?' she sighed sadly. '_I don't even think I'll find the perfect guy any time soon…_'

Akane stared grimly out the window of the shaky bus she was riding in. She had just spent 3 hours at the gym to let off some stress from the past week. The weatherman had said that it wouldn't rain today…and guess what was happening now?

It was raining.

The cold droplets fell in an irregular pattern as they slid down the glass windows of the bus. Akane wrinkled her nose in irritation. That would mean she'd have to walk home in the rain after she got off at the stop. And you know what was even greater? She didn't have an umbrella. Oh joy.

"Stupid rain," she grumbled as the bus screeched to a stop. Thanking the driver, she hopped off and pulled her hood up and began the slow jog home. Puddles splashed as her feet slipped through them, wetting her jeans with dark, murky water. '_Disgusting_,' she thought.

Akane had half-hoped that the rain would let up when she got home, but she was wrong. It only got worse. By the time she reached the door of the apartment, the teen was soaked head to foot, making her clothing cling to her heavily and uncomfortably.

The teen dug for her key, hidden somewhere beneath sodden folds of clothing. As soon as the lock clicked and the door opened, Akane sighed in relief as a breath of warm air graced her near-numb skin.

"I'm home!" she called. Akane paused for a moment Huh. That was weird. Usually Kasumi would call back with her sweet "Welcome back, Akane!" Maybe they didn't hear her.

Akane removed her shoes and jacket and left them in a puddle by the door, along with her sports bag. She would pick those up later. But right now she wanted to go to her room and get out of these wet clothes and into some warm pajamas, then head into the kitchen for some nice, hot tea.

The girl ran her hands across her face and arms as she strode to the living room.

"Otou-san, Kasumi-nee-san, I'm ho-" Akane was cut off abruptly as she was greeted by an unfriendly sight.

In the middle of the living room were her father and older sister, kneeling. Both their faces were pale. Kasumi's eyes were red from the tears streaming down her cheeks. She bit her lip to stifle any sounds. Tendou Soun had his head bowed and stared at a spot on the ground. Situated around them were 3 men, all wearing suits. Two wore sunglasses, and the other was a bald, bulky man with glasses.

"N-Nani…?" Akane's eyes widened, "W-What's going on here? Otou-san? Kasumi-nee-san?"

One of the men stepped forward, but the bald one stopped him. "It's alright, I'll handle this." He said.

Tendo Soun's head suddenly whipped upwards, "Please! Do not hurt my Akane, onegai."

"Hush," the bald man held up a hand to silence him, "Don't worry. I will do her no harm. Please, Miss Akane, don't be afraid of us. We won't hurt you. Have a seat here."

But Akane could not will herself to move. Who were these men? What were they doing in HER home? Why was her family kneeling like a pathetic lot of servants? Unless…oh please, no… '_Please don't tell me Otou-san got involved with Yakuza…_' she thought hopelessly.

"You're getting pale, my dear," the bald man knocked her from her thoughts, "Please sit and we'll explain everything to you."

At first Akane twitched, as if she was too dazed to comprehend anything and was going to accept his offer, but she quickly came to her senses. There were intruders in HER apartment, holding her and her family hostage. They had no right to be here! Rage soon replaced her initial fear and confusion.

"No!" Akane snapped and grabbed a nearby lamp, "Who are you? Get out!" She threw the lamp at one of the men, who barely managed to duck in time.

"Why you little-" he growled and lunged at her.

Martial art senses kicking in, Akane ducked and grabbed his arm, flipping him onto the hard ground. The second man ran towards her, but Akane easily sidestepped his advance and kneed him in the stomach. She knocked the both of them out and laid them in a heap on the floor, and turned to face the third man, but he was nowhere to be seen.

"Very good, I must say."

Akane gasped as she heard a voice speak from behind her. Whirling around, she saw the smirking face of the bald man. "Who the-?" Growling, she pulled her arm back and slammed a punch at him, but he caught it easily.

"Hm, your strength is impressive," he remarked.

"Shut up." Akane growled.

"But we must do something about that attitude," the man continued as he squeezed her tiny fist, the performed a series of moves so fast she couldn't comprehend what was going on until she found herself in a suffocating headlock. Akane whimpered and winced.

"Akane!" Kasumi cried out.

"Saotome!" Soun yelled, "You promised you wouldn't hurt her!"

"And I won't," Genma said as he released the girl, "Have a seat Akane-san."

Seeing as how he overpowered her earlier, Akane knew there really wasn't any point in fighting the man, so she reluctantly sat down.

"Good. Now we can talk. My name is Saotome Genma, and I am the head of the Yakuza, as you might have suspected. I have come to collect a debt that your father owes us. Years ago, when your mother passed away from an illness right after you were born. Your father was distraught and couldn't do anything, not even think straight. This caused him to falter in his work and be fired as a result, meaning no income. That wasn't very good, since your family's savings had been drained by medical bills, supplies to raise you, and your mother's funeral. To make matters worse, your sister Nabiki had contracted the same illness your mother did."

"Nabiki?" Akane piped up. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Kasumi and her father tense.

"They didn't tell you?" Genma said, "You used to have another sister named Nabiki. She's 19 now, making her your older sister, but younger than Kasumi."

"Then how come I don't know about her?" Akane blurted.

Genma looked unperturbed by the interruption, "So after your father got fired, he had no money and spent it all on bills and medication to help Nabiki get better, but none of it worked…

**Flashback**

_Soun Tendo trudged through the muddy streets of Tokyo, carrying his two year old daughter Nabiki in his arms and his infant daughter Akane on his back. Beside him, a four year old Kasumi grasped onto his pant leg._

"_Otou-san," she groaned, "I'm hungry…"_

"_I know, dear," he said as tears flowed down his face. They hadn't eaten for two days. Whenever they managed to scrape together enough money to buy an onigiri, they gave it to Akane or Nabiki, who needed it more. They had been without a home for about a week or two now, and already the children showed signs of being emaciated. The rain pounded in down in unmerciful torrents, occasionally obstructing his vision and soaking him cold to the bone. Soun tried his best to keep the violently shivering Nabiki warm, but to no avail._

"_Kami-sama, help us…" Soun breathed as he fell and slumped against a wall. He gave Akane to Kasumi and pulled them close, and Nabiki closer. Her face was red and bordering on purple, her limbs shivered like she was experiencing a seizure and her breath was uneven and sharp. He turned his face up to the sky and stared blankly at the clouds. He had no money. The children were starving, and Nabiki was dying._

_He closed his eyes. '_Why…? Why did it turn out like this? WHY?!_' Soun sobbed loudly and gripped his children close to him. "Why?!" he cursed at the heavens._

"_Otou-san…" Kasumi looked sympathetically at him._

"_Oh my!" a mature, feminine voice said, "Good heavens, what on earth are you four doing out here in this weather? Oh! That girl needs a doctor right away! Please, come with me. Quickly now."_

_Soun opened his eyes and the image of an elegant woman wearing a kimono came into view. Two bulky men in suits stood beside her, one holding an umbrella above her head and the other with his hand in his jacket, ready to pull out a weapon if Soun decided to attack. The woman had kind mahogany eyes and silky, wine-colored hair. She bent down and took Akane in her arms, pulling a stumbling Kasumi up as well._

"_An angel…?" Soun whispered._

_The woman smiled at the compliment, but it quickly faded. "My name is Nodoka, and I'm here to help you. Come now, sir, your daughter needs a hospital." She motioned to the man with the weapon to help him to his feet and lead him to her limousine…_

…_Soun Tendo sat in the hospital waiting room with the woman, her two guards, and Akane and Kasumi. A doctor came out from the hallway and stepped towards him. "Tendo-san?"_

"_Hai," the said man stood up and bowed._

"_Your daughter has pneumonia," at this Soun paled, "But she will be fine. The disease has progressed to a serious state, but not so severe to where we cannot save her. She'll need to stay at the hospital for quite some time, I'm afraid. She can't have any visitors now, nor for the next few days, but don't worry. She will be fine."_

"_Oh thank goodness," Soun sighed. Beside him, Nodoka smiled._

"_Please go home and rest now, Tendo-san, you and your family look very tired. We'll contact you if anything happens."_

_Soun nodded. The doctor left and Soun sat back down. Even though the doctor told him to go home…Soun really had no home to return to. He frowned and ran a hand through his hair._

"_It's okay," a voice said beside him, "You can come home with me." Nodoka stood up, "There's no use hiding it, I know you don't have a home. You can stay with me and my family tonight. We'll set you up with a nice hot meal, a bath, and warm bed. How's that sound?"_

"_O-Oh no!" Soun blurted, "I can't intrude on your family, please ma'am. That would be highly inappropriate. You've already done too much for me and my family already; we'll just find a hotel."_

"_But where will you get the money to do so? If you could have afforded a hotel I think you would have done so, instead of sitting out in the street. Besides, I have a young son at home about your daughter Akane's age, so she'll have some toys to play with. And Kasumi too."_

_Soun frowned. She got him there. Reluctantly, he accepted and they headed back to her place…_

…_Soun was amazed at the size of the mansion. It was HUGE! The decorations were ornate, and the rooms just radiated elegance. Everything was in a sort of old-fashioned theme, and had a nice, cozy feeling despite the vast hallways and high ceilings. The first thing Nodoka did was have her servants lead them to the bathrooms for a nice, hot bath. Then she had her cook prepare them an excellent dinner, to which Kasumi rejoiced to. Then, Akane and Kasumi were taken upstairs_

"_Anata, this is Tendo Soun," she introduced them and Soun bowed deeply. "I found him and his family on the street and they needed help, so I brought them back here. He has three daughters: Akane, Nabiki, and Kasumi. I tucked Akane and Kasumi away upstairs, and Nabiki was ill so I brought her to the hospital."_

"_Aa," Genma said as he looked up from the newspaper._

"_Gomenasai for intruding in your home," Soun bowed deeper._

"_Iie, it's alright." Genma stood and shook his hand, "I am Saotome Genma, and I'm glad we could help your family out. Now, I'm curious, what were you doing out in the streets?" Soun sighed and scratched his head. 'Well, here goes nothing,' he thought as he began to recite his story…_

…_Genma listened with solemn eyes as Nodoka sat beside him, her face looking as if it was about to cry. "I see…" he said._

"_So now I'm looking for help so that I can put my life back together," Soun concluded._

_Genma stroked his chin, "You know…I can help you."_

"_R-Really?" Soun was stunned._

"_Anata, no…" Nodoka suddenly looked very worried. "He has nothing-" Genma put up a hand to silence her._

"_I can help you," he restated. "My name is Genma Saotome, and I am the head of the Yakuza." At this Soun paled. Y-Yakuza? Oh dear lord, what had he gotten himself into? Nodoka looked remorseful. She knew this was going to happen. Soun grew rigid. He had troubled the wife of THE Yakuza leader, intruded in his home, eaten his food, and even had the gall to dump his problems on him? This was horrible! He wouldn't be able to repay the debt he owed them! "If you accept," Genma continued, "I can help you rebuild your life again, and get your family back to normal. But, then again you really have no choice, seeing the state you're in now."_

_The Tendo man looked down at himself. It was true. He had no choice. Soun nodded lightly in submission._

**End Flashback**

"Your father and I talked for a bit, and we reached the conclusion that I would set him up with a few hundred thousand yen to get his life back together. We decided Nabiki was too ill to remain with him, and there was no way he could rebuild the family and pay for her medical bills at the same time, so Nodoka and I offered to take her. He did so reluctantly. As for payment of the debt…I would come back in a few years time to collect it."

"So you're here," Akane eyed him slowly, "to collect the money, right?"

"Hai."

"But then why do you need these body guards with you?"

"Standard procedure, my dear."

"Well then, how come you're still here, and why is my family on the ground? Wouldn't my father have paid you already and you would have been off?"

Genma sighed, "That's how it was supposed to go…"

Akane furrowed her brows, "What do you mean…?"

The Yakuza leader removed his glasses and rubbed his temples, "You see, Akane-san, your father does not have the money ready, unfortunately."

Azure eyes widened, "Wait, so…What will happen?"

"I'm afraid your father has to come up with another method of payment quickly, or we'll have to solve this the hard way." He touched the small katana hidden his suit jacket and pulled the handle up enough for Akane to realize what he meant.

"Oh no," she paled, "No! Please don't kill my father! How much money do you need?" She quickly pulled out her purse and began counting all the money she had in there.

"Thirty million yen," he replied calmly. (A/N: That's roughly 250,000 U.S. dollars)

Akane felt her limbs grow week and her purse drop to the floor. "T-Thirty million yen?" she whispered bewilderedly. She didn't have that kind of money! She glanced feverishly at her father, who was crying now. Kasumi had pulled her knees up to her chest and looked hopeless. The eighteen year old sunk lower to the ground and buried her face in her hands. This could not be happening.

Genma looked solemnly at them, "So I take it you can't pay off the debt after all?"

There was no response.

He closed his eyes, "Very well. Gomenasai," he said before he pulled out the katana.

"No!" Akane suddenly leapt up from her spot and stood in front of her father and sister.

"Oro?" the bald man stared at her.

"No!" she stated firmly; hot, salty drops of water began to well up at the corners of her eyes. Her body was shivering. She was scared, but mustered up all the courage and dignity she could and stared at the Yakuza leader. "Don't hurt them; I will pay off the debt."

"But you just said you had no-"

"I will work it off!"

Genma blinked slowly. Work it off?

Akane suddenly dropped to her knees and bowed before the man. Her body was racked with tiny sobs as her tears formed a small puddle on the wooden floor. She couldn't believe this was happening. Her life and her family's lives were on the line. She had just defied and interrupted THE Yakuza leader. "O-Onegai," Akane pleaded, "Spare my family, and allow me to pay off the debt by working for you. Please! I'll do anything."

He regarded her with beady black eyes for quite some time, before replying "You are willing to work under me, for the Yakuza, in order to save your family?"

"Hai," she nodded firmly, despite her shivering form.

"You are willing to suffer the horrors we might put you through in order to work off this debt?"

"Akane!" Soun gaped, "No! You can't!"

She ignored him, "Hai."

"We might have you work as a servant, or maybe even a slave…"

Kasumi gasped, "Akane, no! Let me go in your place!"

But the girl stayed firm in her resolution, "Hai. I will do anything for my family."

"Aa," Genma leaned back and took a deep breath. He closed his eyes again, and then opened them and told her to rise. She did just that. Genma looked her up and down. She looked no older than his son Ranma, and possibly even a year younger. She had a nice, toned physique, similar to that of a disciplined martial artist. Come to think of it, Soun was the master of a dojo, so it was possible that he taught Akane a few things here and there. Plus, that performance she showed earlier while fighting with his guards was quite impressive.

"Alright," Genma pulled out a cigar and lit it, "I believe I have a job for you."

"Really?" Akane gasped, half in delight and half in despair. This meant she could finally help her family…but now, she was Yakuza. And a criminal. Her future would definitely not be very happy.

Genma smiled, "You can become an underground fighter." Soun's eyes widened. As a martial arts master, he had heard of the dangerous sport. It was where people would stage fights against each other, and the winner would win a certain amount of money. It was a bit like a tournament, but the matches usually tended to end in horribly violent ways, sometimes in death, which was why it was banned. But people still continue to participate secretly.

"You will fight members from other gangs and the number of earnings you win will go towards releasing your family from debt, and after you've earned 30,000,000 yen you can go free."

"Sounds fair," Akane said.

"But," Genma cast her a grave look, "If you end up dying in a match, your family will be going with you."

Kasumi sucked in a sharp breath. Soun couldn't breath.

Akane nodded, "Hai."

And so her fate was sealed.

Overwhelmed, Akane saw the room began to spin. Her face grew hot, and she felt suffocated. She began to feel lightheaded. All she heard was someone shout "Akane!" before she passed out.

* * *

YES I know Genma is really OOC. But it suits the story better. He might seem like a big weiner right now, but don't worry. He'll lighten up as the story goes on. SO please review! And no flames. Please. OH GOD PLEASE, NO FLAMES! Heh. Thank you.


	2. The Yakuza

**Disclaimer**- No I don't own Ranma ½.

**Author's Note- **OKAY! LISTEN UP PEOPLE! See, I started this story a few weeks back and had an idea where I wanted it to go, but then when I picked up on it again I forgot where it was headed, so I made a few stuff up. BUT now I realized where I wanted it to go, so for those who have already read the first chapter, please reread the ending again after the flashback. I changed it. Thank you.

**Summary-** AU Ranma is the king of underground fighting. Akane is a new girl who's been dragged into the dangerous sport. What happens when they meet? Chaos, of course.

* * *

**DismantleRepair**

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Two

(For those of you who read my story before I put up this chapter, please reread the first chapter! I made a change to the ending. Just so you won't get confused hehe. And the reason why I posted this again is because most people don't read the Author's Notes. Please do. Thanks.)

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Tatewaki Kuno could not believe what he had just heard. In his hand he gripped a bouquet of roses, but he had squeezed them so hard they were no longer a bouquet, but more of a bundle of bent stems and torn petals. He was driving home in his limo from a late-night kendo session when he saw the lovely Akane Tendo running through the rain. She didn't look too happy. He had tried to call out to her to give her a ride, but the girl had not heard him. But before long she had reached her apartment, and he saw her growl and curse the weather.

'_The poor, sweet angel_,' he thought. In his eyes, she looked like a helpless puppy cold and whimpering under the rain. '_I believe I will give her a bouquet to make her feel better_,' he smirked and pulled one out of his always-ready supply. By the time he grabbed it, she was already in the apartment, so he hurriedly hopped out of the limo and ran up the steps, forgetting his bokken, something a dedicated swordsman _never _did. But this was Akane Tendo! Someone way more important at the moment.

Once he reached her door, he saw that it was open. That was odd…Akane never left it open. He knocked and called hello, but no answer. Slowly, he stepped inside, and noticed a wet pile of…clothes? Weren't those Akane's…Oh dear lord. Kuno felt a nosebleed come on. A wet, semi-stripped Akane? Oh my… he began to feel lightheaded. Suddenly, a scream knocked him from his thoughts.

"Is Akane Tendo in danger?!" he said to himself and ran to the source of commotion: the living room. As he neared, he hid behind the door opening and peered inside. There he saw 6 figures, but wasn't able to identify them, except for his sapphire eyed angel.

"N-Nani…?" he heard her say, "W-What's going on here? Otou-san? Kasumi-nee-san?"

"It's alright," it was the sound of a man's voice, "I'll handle this."

"Please! Do not hurt my Akane, onegai," that was Soun Tendo, Akane's father.

What was going on here? Was Akane Tendo in trouble? Slowly, Kuno reached for his bokken, but all his fingertips received was air. '_Kuso_!' he thought, '_How could I have left it in the limo_?'

"Hush," the same man's voice from earlier spoke again, "Don't worry. I will do her no harm. Please, Miss Akane, don't be afraid of us. We won't hurt you. Have a seat here."

The kendo master narrowed his eyes and honed his hearing. He would receive more than he bargained for…

…As soon as the conversation was over and Akane had fainted, Kuno ran from the apartment. It had stopped raining, but there were many puddles, splashing his hakama and gi until he looked as if he had just bathed in murky water. Once he reached his limo, he instructed his driver to drive straight back to the mansion. He couldn't think right now. His mind was swimming in rage and confusion. He needed to help Akane Tendo, but didn't know how. When he gets home, he'll have Sasuke think up a plan.

Kuno stared at the crushed bouquet, but it only reminded him of what had happened and fueled his anger. Akane Tendo? A dirty, disgusting street fighter? No! He would not have it! He threw the sorry excuse for flowers out the window and crossed his arms. He could have stepped in and offered to pay the debt, but he didn't have his checkbook on him so he couldn't really do much. And how stupid of him was it to forget his bokken?! The one time his angel is in danger and he cannot defend her! Kuno growled and punched the wall of the limo.

"Kuno-sama?" the driver called from his intercom, "Are you alright, sir?"

"Hai," the brown haired kendo artist said irritably. He combed a hand through his curly tresses, "Just get me back to the mansion at once."

"Understood."

* * *

Inside his own limo, Genma Saotome studied his new fighter carefully. Kasumi had packed a few essential things for the night, and Genma would have someone come by tomorrow to collect the rest of her belongings. She wasn't voluptuous and seductive, but had slender, graceful curves enough to wet the appetites of a few married men. The young girl showed no visible scars, which meant she must have never been a serious fight before. He frowned. He was going to regret that her porcelain skin would soon be mauled by the ferocity of the ring.

But she was a lovely young lady, he had to admit. Her long, midnight hair looked silky and well-groomed, a product of long, intensive hours of care. She had a cute button nose and dainty features, with a pair of genuine sapphire eyes, accompanied by thick lashes and round cheeks. Her chin was a bit stubby, and her lips weren't full, but were a sweet, strawberry color. Genma's frown deepened. Too bad those features would be ruined too.

But then again…She showed great potential of being an exceptional fighter. He had studied her carefully when she fought. Her eyes burned with a kind of devoted, warrior spirit that not many possessed. He could tell by her swift strokes and reflexes that she was very well trained. When he had caught her in a headlock, he had mistakenly left an opening on the way his feet was positioned, and with a few simple kicks, Akane could have maneuvered herself so that her feet would hook behind his and trip him, which would then give her the upper hand. He had seen her twitch for that opening, but decided against it. Probably because she was afraid it would cause more trouble. Smart move. Smart girl.

However, the thing that got him the most was the fact that the stance she took when battling his guards was a basic stance of the Anything-Goes style of martial arts- a long forgotten art that was known only to a very few, select peoples. If this girl knew the Anything-Goes style, then that would mean she would be on par with Ranma.

'_Interesting_,' Genma stroked his chin, '_We'll see where this goes_.'

Pulling out his sleek, new cellphone, Genma dialed a number and waited for the other line to pick up.

"Moshi moshi?" came a girl's voice.

"Nabiki," Genma leaned back in his plush, leather seat, "It's otou-san. I've got a new fighter for you."

"Hn," the girl replied as the sound of coins clinked in the background. She was probably counting money again. "What's he like?"

"She," Genma corrected.

"Oro? Well then, what's she like? Does she show much promise or shall I have her fight the petty battles?"

"I'm not sure, I haven't really seen her fight yet, but she managed to take down Kazuma and Daisuke quite easily. She's a small girl, probably only about eighteen or so. On the petite side."

"Really? I told you they were wussies."

Genma chuckled, "Iie, it's fine. Her style is…very interesting. The stance she used to defend herself was similar to the basic ones used in the Anything-Goes style- the art that Ranma practices. I don't think she's prepared for what she'll face in the ring, but she shows much potential. Fiery little girl. Confident, a bit stubborn. But well-meaning and a good heart."

He heard Nabiki sigh, "There's no room for good hearts in the ring. What made you recruit her?"

"Her family owed a debt to me, and when I came to collect it they didn't have the money ready, so I was about to 'dispose' of them before she showed up and offered to work the debt off. So I gave her this job."

"What's her name?"

Genma prepared himself.

…

"Akane Tendo."

The line grew silent.

A banging sound signified that Nabiki had dropped her phone.

"…Akane Tendo? Tendo as in…my sister?" her voice was nothing more than a whisper now.

"Hai."

It was quiet again until Nabiki composed herself, "…Very well. Give me her information and I'll prepare a bunk for her."

* * *

Nabiki slammed her cellphone down on the desk and lifted two fingers to rub her temples. Her sister whom she barely remembered or even knew was going to meet her again, after all these years. Of course, Nabiki knew she wasn't Genma and Nodoka's true daughter, but considered them as such. She had been told of her true family when she was a young girl, and felt betrayed. How could her father have given her up like that? Horrible.

It was then that Nabiki vowed to become a professional when it came to dealing with money, so as never to make the same mistake as her father did and abandon one of his children; therefore, she felt great animosity towards them.

But now, a member of the family that she felt such bitter feelings for was returning to her. She sighed. It was Otou-san's wish that Akane would join, not Nabiki's, so she'd have to deal with it. Running her hands through her cropped, amber tresses, she took a few deep breaths and closed her eyes. Well, now she had to tell the others that they would be expecting a new fighter.

"Hey!" Nabiki hollered at a passerby as she threw open her door, "Round everyone up and have them meet me in the main living room."

The building that the Yakuza's fighting team resided in was an old abandoned parking complex that had been remodeled to sort of a mansion/mini office building. The lower-level fighters and workers resided on the first floor, where they slept in bunks similar to that of capsule hotels and shared facilities like bathrooms and kept their personal belongings in assigned lockers. That was where Akane would stay. Up above were recreation and training facilities, including the cafeteria and a practice ring, and above that were the living quarters of the better fighters. Unlike their lower-level counterparts, these fighters enjoyed their own suites, varying on size and splendor depending on how well they performed. Some even enjoyed the luxury of having their own mini gym or kitchen, so they wouldn't have to go downstairs and dine with the "common" fighters.

And, on the fourth and final floor, were two penthouses belonging to Nabiki and Ranma Saotome, Ranma's, of course, being of greater extravagance.

However, the most important aspect of the building was not that it housed the King of underground fighting, but the ring: the place where fighters staged matches against one another. There were 3 rings: the Main Court, the Petty Ring, and the Grande Court. The Main Court was where most fighters fought, the Petty was for fights of lesser grandeur and importance, and the Grande Court was a specially designed platform for fighters of exceptional skill and importance. The Main and Grande Courts were built like stadiums, in a way, while the Petty Ring was just a ring and had room around for people to crowd about and watch standing up. True to their namesake, all three rings were built underground.

"Alright," Nabiki said as she entered the main living room. It was filled with people, chattering about the day's events and what they thought this meeting would be about. They ranged in size, from large and bursting with muscle, to small and bone-thin, and also in looks and personality. In the far corner, a boy with long, raven hair pulled back in a braid leaned against a wall, muscled arms crossed his hard chest. His normally azure eyes were closed.

When it became evident that the fighters showed no sign of quieting down, a vein popped in Nabiki's head, "HEY. SHUT UP!" Immediately, there was silence. She glared, "Good. Now, on to business. It seems we'll be getting a new fighter."

"A new fighter?" Voices piped up.

"Well that's strange, when did we hold any new tournaments?"

"What are they like?"

"Are they cute?"

Another vein popped in the adoptive Saotome's brow, "I said, QUIET!" The gossip stopped. "Ugh," Nabiki rubbed her temples, "It's a girl, and her name is Akane. She was appointed by Genma-sama himself, and will be here soon, he's escorting her."

There was a growl, "What?" a boy with a yellow and black bandana bared his teeth, "How come she gets to go in without an initiation fight? I had to work hard to get in- like 5 months!"

"And four of those months were spent wandering around lost," a voice snickered.

The former glared, "You wanna take this outside, duck-brain?"

"Enough," Nabiki interrupted them, "Mousse, Ryoga, if you wanna fight do it after the announcements, but not now. Anyhow, Akane will be given an initiation match, against Kaori Daikoku."

"You mean stupid take-out girl who try take Shampoo's Airen?" A purple haired vixen who was in the middle of the crowd cried out. (**A/N**: If you don't remember her, she was in the Ranma anime and challenged Akane to a Take-Out Martial Arts Food Race or something. Yeah. Heh.)

"Yes," Nabiki said, "Well she wants a rematch, and I've decided to pit her up against Akane. We'll see how our newcomer fairs." A chorus of snickers rang throughout the crowd. Kaori wasn't necessarily a merciful fighter, and wasn't exactly the best, but was a decent challenge.

"Okay," Nabiki called the room to order once again, "Enough. Settle down. Her match will be staged tomorrow, on the Petty Ring." Many murmured that it was a little too early and to give her a few days, but Nabiki cast them a quick glare which told them to hush. "Right now we're classifying her under 'lower' fighters. Let's see…She'll be here in a few moments, so play nice." But Nabiki winked, meaning "Give her hell, kids."

Once the remaining announcements were said, Nabiki dismissed the group. As everyone else filed out the exits, one person stayed rooted in his corner. As Nabiki gathered up her stuff, she noticed him standing there alone and quirked a brow. "You okay?"

"Hn," the boy replied and turned his face away, shielding his eyes with raven bangs.

Mahogany eyes narrowed, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," he shrugged her off once again, "I just have a sort of weird feeling."

Nabiki stared at him for quite some time before placing a hand on his muscled shoulder, "…Take care, okay?"

"Aa," the boy turned his blue gaze towards his sister before offering a small smile, to which she returned. With that assured, Nabiki left the room, and Ranma followed soon after.

* * *

Akane's eyes widened as she stared out the window at the crowd of people situated near the entrance of a dinky looking building. It looked like a rundown and abandoned parking lot, yet there were many motorbikes parked around it and a large handful of individuals crowded at the gates. 'Where am I?' she thought, 'Is this the Yakuza hideout?'

"Welcome to your new home," a voice knocked her from her thoughts. Whirling around, sapphire met obsidian. Genma smiled, "Don't worry, the inside isn't that bad. I promise."

Suddenly, the weight of the situation sank in again, and Akane felt her body began to shake. Her eyes stung as tears once again began to form. She turned her attention once again to the crowd of people, jeering and shouting incoherent things at her. At the head of the procession she could see two people: a tall young woman and a tall young man. The tall young woman wore an expensive dress and decorative jewelry that Akane recognized were brand name. Her make up was done exquisitely, yet Akane couldn't help but think that the girl looked a lot like Kasumi, only with lighter hair, narrower eyes, and a sharper looking face.

The young man was quite handsome. He wore a red Chinese-style outfit, and in some places it clung nicely to his biceps as he crossed his arms over a firm looking chest. He regarded the limo with piercing azure eyes, and had thick black tresses that were pulled back in a braid. His mouth was set deep in a frown.

"Well," Genma said as the limo slowed to a stop, "Here we are, Akane-san."

Akane was shaking violently now. Genma pondered for a moment if the girl was experiencing a seizure. She sank in her seat and huddled in a fetal position. "I-I…I can't do this," she whispered to herself. The pressure was too great. Now she was Yakuza. A criminal. She would be fighting for her life now, as well as her family's life, and all she knew was that she was going to keep fighting and fighting, for who knows how long. "At least until I've earned 30 million yen…" Akane breathed deeply to calm her excited nerves. '_Let's pray that all those years spent studying under dad and his dojo will pay off_…'

Akane looked down at her lap and gasped. She screeched and looked at her body. She was wearing her old school uniform! But…Before she was wearing a t-shirt and jeans! Did Genma…?

"You pervert!" she yelled and began hurdling random things at him, from the little packages of snacks inside the limo to her own shoes, "The nerve of you! How dare you touch me and change me!"

"Aiyah!" Genma spurted, "Akane-san, stop throwing those objects!" He hollered as a shoe landed in his mouth. His face turned green, "Eeuuhh…"

But Akane was not disturbed by this, "Gross! How could you, you old pervert!"

"Your misunderstanding," the old man yelled as he ducked more snacks, "You were in wet clothes and catching a fever, so I asked your sister to change you into dry clothes, and the only one lying around was your old school uniform!"

Akane stopped throwing things. "Really?" Genma confirmed by nodding. Well that sounded reasonable. She quickly realized her mistake of throwing things at her new boss, THE Yakuza leader, I might add, and suddenly felt ashamed of herself as her face burned a hot red. And accusing him of being a pervert, too! Akane felt her heartbeat race and her ears turn red as well, '_Kuso, kuso, kuso! I'm such a baka_!'

"What's taking so long?" an anxious Ryoga shouted. He had gotten lost again, and it took him a few hours to find the gate, so he had a bad view of the situation, and had already missed the beginning procession where the fighters honored Genma.

"Ryoga-kun!" Ukyo called, "Up here!" The boy nodded and weaseled his way through the crowd towards her. Shampoo and Mousse were with her, and Mousse was desperately trying to get the attentions of his beloved, but to no avail. '_What will this girl be like_?' Ryoga wondered.

Ryoga, Ukyo, Shampoo, and Mousse were the higher of the fighters in the Yakuza, topped only by Ranma. They were the ones who lived on the 3rd floor with their own gyms and kitchens and such. They were the ones who had the honor of fighting in the Grande Court rather than the Main or Petty Rings.

"She probably big, ugly woman," Shampoo sneered.

"I bet you she's nothing in comparison to your greatness, Shampoo," Mousse fawned. Shampoo thanked him squeakily.

"She's probably gross and a hobo," Ukyo added.

"I hope she's hot, unlike most girls here," Ryoga nodded wisely, which earned him twin bonks on the head.

Ranma and Nabiki stood silently side by side as the expensive vehicle turned and halted, with the door facing them. It was understood between the two siblings that neither of them wanted to be here, and that they were causing a big commotion over such a trivial thing. But then again, there must have been something special about this girl that Genma saw in order for him to cause a big procession like this.

Slowly, the door of the limo began to open…

* * *

CLIFFHANGER! BWAHAHAHA! Oh I am so evil. Hehe. Well, I sort of did this chapter in the dead of night, so there might be a few errors. I'll go through later and edit them. Well, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please review! Once again, NO FLAMES! PLEASE! Thank you.


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